unto it, so did Christ draw Matthew, and by His drawing, gave him his virtues, and chiefly his exceeding love of God, zeal for souls, ardour in preaching. Listen to the account of S. Matthew’s conversion, which he himself gave to St. Bridget of Sweden, when praying at his tomb at Malphi: “It was my desire at the time I was a publican to defraud no man, and I wished to find out a way by which I might abandon that employment, and cleave to God alone with my whole heart. When therefore He who loved me, even Jesus Christ was preaching, His call was a flame of fire in my heart; and so sweet were His words unto my taste, that I thought no more of riches than of straws: yea, it was delightful to me to weep for joy, that my God had deigned to call one of such small account, and so great a sinner as I to His grace. And as I clave unto my Lord, His burning words became fixed in my heart, and day and night I fed upon them by meditation, as upon sweetest food.” In art The calling of Matthew has been the subject of works of art by several painters, including: The Calling of St Matthew by Caravaggio (1599–1600) at Contarelli Chapel in the church of San Luigi dei Francesi in Rome Hendrick ter Brugghen (1621) Juan de Pareja (1661). See also Commissioning the twelve Apostles First disciples of Jesus Gospel harmony: Matthew 9, Mark 2, Luke 5 Great Commission Life of Jesus in the New Testament Jesus eats with sinners and tax-collectors References External links St Matthew the Apostle from The Golden Legend Apostle and Evangelist Matthew Orthodox icon and synaxarion Gospel episodes Matthew the Apostle